The present invention relates to an exercise device for performing a series of exercises for conditioning the body, having a base member, a left side arm and a right side arm and a tensioning means for biasing the left and right side arms into a normally extended position.
The need for keeping the human body fit and in good physical condition is well known, and for this reason, fitness and health clubs, with their wide assortments of weight training and other exercise equipment, have become popular places. However, what has not been adequately addressed are means to maintain one""s hard earned good physical condition when one is required to frequently travel and can not visit his/her regular health club or gym. Moreover, the vast majority of persons do not even avail themselves of the benefits of regular workouts, whether at health clubs or otherwise. Thus, a tremendous need exists for providing simple, lightweight, compact portable exercise devices that are adaptable for use in training a large variety of human muscle groups.
It is well recognized that the human body requires a sufficient amount of proper exercise for stimulation and improvement of the cardiovascular system necessary for the maintenance of good health. In this regard, numerous exercising devices have been designed to achieve this goal. Some of the well known types of exercising devices employ weights which are lifted in a prescribed manner through a range of motion for exercising a particular set of muscles. Other well known types of exercising devices employ mechanisms, such as springs or rubber bands, to produce elastic resistance to movement in a particular direction. Still other well known types of exercising devices utilize a friction mechanism which generates a resistance proportional to relative movement of various components of the exercising device.
Devices to aid in the exercise of various muscle groups have been manufactured for many years. The use of a bar with an elastic cord to simulate weight lifting was described as early as 1912 in U.S. Pat. No. 1,019,861. More recent attempts employing a bar and/or an elastic cord member, either separately or together, to facilitate exercise are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,458,555 (1995), 5,669,862, and 5,741,207 (1998). Each of these devices provides means for exercising select muscle groups and some are relatively compact. However, none of the prior art devices provide a single, fully reducible, compact exercise device that is adaptable for exercising and training a full complement of human muscle groups. It is toward this that the present invention is directed.
In accordance with the present invention, an exercising device is provided for conditioning the body, said exercising device having a base member, left side arm and a right side arm and a tensioning means for biasing the left and right side arms into a normally extended position.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a compact, portable, lightweight exercising device. As presently preferred, the exercising device is configured to enable a user to perform exercises for working the muscle groups of the upper and lower anatomy. However, the exercising device may also be configured for other ranges of motion to exercise other muscle groups, such as sit-ups and thigh crunches.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an exercising apparatus which is anatomically and ergonomically designed for the exercise to be performed such that it is simple and safe to use by able-bodied individuals and disabled individuals without the assistance of others.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable exercising apparatus which is readily adaptable to a wide range of individuals, including children, women and men.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an exercise device which uses an adjustable resistance mechanism in which the load is easily adjustable from a low resistance/high repetition aerobic mode to a high load/low repetition muscle building, anearobic mode.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a resistance mechanism which employs an elastic resistance mechanism for providing a quiet, smoothly operating resistance mechanism for creating resistance.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an exercising apparatus which may be stowed in a compact arrangement for facilitating storage and transportation of the device.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.